Work basket



F. A. HUFF WORK BASKET Feb. 18, 1958 Filed March 15, 1956 I INVENTOR. 1 FLORANCE AHUFF United States Patent WORK BASKET Florance A. Huff, Galeton, Colo.

Application March 15, 1956, Serial No. 571,683

Claims. (Cl. 223-107) The present invention appertains to improvements in baskets or the like containers and specifically relates to a novel sewing basket for use in performing hand sewing work.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a basket which is adapted to contain articles to be sewn or knit or crochet work and which has means for storing spools of thread and rolls of yarn and the like in a manner so that the thread and yarn can be used without removing the spools or rolls from the basket.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a sturdy and compact basket construction which is composed of detachably secured frame elements that are easily assembled and disassembled, the frame elements forming an open frame which has a box-like portion that is covered with a removable cloth or plastic cover and which also has means for attaching the frame to the arm of a chair or similar support.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a sewing basket which includes a box-like frame covered by a removable cover to form a container for storing work pieces, instruction books, needles and the like'and also includes attaching arms which upstand from one side of the box-like frame to suspend the frame from the arm of a chair, means being disposed transversely between the arms for rotatably supporting balls of yarn and spools of thread and for guiding the yarn and thread as it is being used.

The foregoing and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, the preferred form of which is described in the following description and illustrated in the attached drawing, wherein the single figure is a perspective view of the basket showing the same in assembled condition for use in performing all of the various hand sewing tasks.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawing, it is to be understood that it is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the basket is designed for use while a person is engaged in hand sewing tasks and is constructed to hold all of the materials, threads, needles and the like articles necessary for the performance of such tasks. However, such environment is not the sole use to which the basket can be put as it can be used to advantage to contain and hold articles for other purposes.

The basket 10 includes a box-like open frame 12 which is made up of two spaced apart, parallel sides or side frames 14 and 16 that are interconnected at their corners by transverse braces 18. The frame 12 is composed of sections of heavy gauge wire or the like material and may be formed from sections of tubular material, such as small diameter aluminum tubing. The sides 14 and 16 are each formed from a single length of material which is bent into four right angular sections; a bottom 20, front 22, top 24 and rear 26. The rear section 26 extends above the top section 24 which has its inner end suitably secured in abutting contact to the front face of the rear section. The rear sections each have integral arms 28 and 30 extending upwardly therefrom and constituting vertical prolongations thereof. The arms 28 and 30 have their upper ends rearwardly and downwardly curved to form arcuate hooks 32 which extend rearwardly from the box-like frame 12 and are provided to fit over the arm or back of a chair or any other suitable support.

The braces 18 each consist of straight body portions 34 which terminate at their ends in right angular flanges or sections 36. The braces at the bottom of the frame 12 form the base of the frame with the bottom sections 20 and have their end flanges 36 disposed upright, while the braces at the top of the frame form the top of the frame with the top sections 24 of the sides and have their end flanges turned downwardly.

Means is provided for joining the end flanges 36 of the braces to the adjoining sections of the frame 12 and preferably includes oblong straps 38 which are securely circumposed about the abutting side by side flanges and adjoining sections of the frame.

The box-like frame composed of the open sides and the transverse braces is covered by a cover 40 formed in one piece from suitable material, such as cloth or plastic. The cover 40 surrounds the outside of the frame 12 and is provided at its four upper edges with flaps 42 that overlie the top sections of the sides of the frame and the top braces. The flaps and sides of the cover have interfitting locking elements, such as the snaps 44 to hold the cover in place. The cover with the frame forms a deep container for holding work pieces, patterns, instruction booklets, skeins or balls of yarn, needles and the like sewing accessories.

A brace 46, identical to the braces 18, is transversely secured between the arms 28 and 30 by straps 48 and is provided to hold spools 50 of thread, which spools are rotatable on the brace 46.

Another brace 52 is transversely secured by straps 54 between the arms and is disposed above the brace 46 and adjacent to the inner ends of the hooks 32. The brace 52 carries a guide means for the yarn and thread, such guide means being, for example, in the form of an integral eye 55 which is formed medially of the ends of the brace 52 by bending the brace.

Means is provided for supporting balls of yarn or large spools and such means includes a spindle 56, which has end journals 58 that are rotatably mounted in bearings 69. The bearings 60 consist of eyes formed in bracket arms 62 by bending the arms 62 upon themselves. The bracket arms each are of substantially triangular shape, having the eyes 60 formed at the apices. The free ends of the bracket arms terminate in opposite- 1y extending vertical flanges 64 which are fixed on the front faces of the arms 28 and 30 by straps 66. Thus,

the bracket arms project forwardly from the arms 28 and 30 and overlie the container.

In use, the basket can be positioned adjacent to a user seated in a chair or lying on a bed by hooking the hooks 32 over the arm or back of a chair or side of a bed railing or similar support. The container will then be horizontally disposed and the articles disposed therein can be easily reached. The yarn, thread or the like on the spools 50 or large spool 68 on the spindle 56 will be guided through the eye 55 and will be prevented from becoming entangled as it is used.

From the foregoing specification, it will become a, parent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish, and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shapes, size and rearrangement of details and parts such as come Within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described this invention what is claimed 1. A basket of the type described comprising an open rectangular box-like frame, a removable cover enclosing the bottom and sides of the frame to form a container having an open top, arms upstanding from one side of the frame and terminating in hooks for engagement with a support, means disposed between the arms above the box-1ike frame for holding spools of thread and balls of yarn and the like sewing material, guide means dis posed transversely between the arms and positioned above said foregoing means and through which the yarn and thread is guided as it is pulled olf from the spools, said guide means including a straight brace positioned transversely between the arms and having right angular end flanges abutting the arms, and straps circumposed about the end flanges and the arms to fix the brace to the arms, said brace being bent medially of its ends to form an integral guide eye.

2. A basket of the type described comprising an open rectangular box-like frame, a removable cover enclosing the bottom and sides of the frame to form a container having an open top, arms upstanding from one side of the frame and terminating in hooks for engagement with a support, means including a pair of substantially triangular bracket arms outstanding from the upstanding arms and having free ends secured to the upstanding arms disposed between the upstanding arms above the box-like frame for holding spools of thread and balls of yarn and the like sewing material, said bracket arms being bent upon themselves at their apices to form bearing eyes, a spindle having journal ends rotatably mounted in said bearing eyes, said spindle being adapted to have aspool of thread or ball of yarn or the like circumposed thereon, and guide means disposed transversely between the upstanding arms and positioned above said foregoing means and through which the yarn and thread is guided as it is pulled off from the spools.

3. In a work basket, the combination which comprises a pair of rectangular-shaped side frames having bottom, top, front, and rear sections, the rear sections having arms extended upwardly above the top sections and having supporting elements on the upper ends, straps extended around the members of the side frames and also around the arms, and braces with right angularly positioned sections on the ends extended between the side frames and arms and positioned with the end sections in the straps.

4. In a work basket, the combination which comprises a pair of rectangular-shaped side frames having bottom, top, front, and rear sections, the rear sections having arms extended upwardly above the top sections and having supporting elements on the upper ends, oblongshaped straps extended around the members of the side frames and arms, braces with right angularly positioned sections on the ends extended between the side frames and arms and positioned with the end sections in the straps, a cover extended around the side frames and connecting braces and across the bottom, and means removably connecting upper edges of the cover to the top sections of the side frames and to the braces connecting the upper ends of the frames.

5. In a work basket, the combination which comprises a pair of rectangular-shaped side frames having bottom, top, front, and rear sections, the rear sections having arms extended upwardly above the top sections and having supported elements on the upper ends, oblong-shaped straps extended around the members of the side frames and also around the arms, braces with right angularly positioned sections on the ends extended between the side frames and arms and positioned with the end sections in the straps, triangular-shaped bracket arms extended from the arms extended upwardly from the rear sections of the side frames and having bearings in extended portions thereof, the ends of the bracket arms having aligned sections extended therefrom and said aligned sections being positioned in the straps, a spindle rotatably mounted in the bearings of the bracket arms, the uppermost brace extended between the arms extended upwardly from the rear sections of the side frames having an eye thereon and said eye being positioned midway between the ends thereof providing a thread guide, a cover extended around the side frames and connecting braces and across the bottom, and means removably connecting upper edges of the cover to thetop sections of the side frames and to the braces connecting upper ends of the frames.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 623,292 Sell Apr. .18, 1899 1,122,567 Barbour Dec. 29, 1914 1,521,936 Fadden et a1. Jan. 6, 1925 1,685,277 Dryden 'Sept. 25, 1928 i FOREIGN PATENTS 551,0-1'5 Germany May 4, 1932 

